So as a newly retired dental hygienist I keep replying when asked if I miss the job, "I am surprised, but no I do not miss it." What I miss is the people of course!! What I don't miss is: the ropey saliva sucking, the rock hard calculus that's a result of the patient not knowing how long its been since their last cleaning and the probing of pockets.
However I was wrong!
I just power washed my flagstone walkway and patio will all the gusto and precision I used for the oral cavity.
So I may not have been scaling off calculus with my favorite Universal scaler but i was removing very thick algae. Just like the example I would use when the term "plaque" went to "bio film". I would compare the patients unclean teeth to that of river rocks coated with green film.
Well anyway, on to the cleaning of the stone. It took a very long time to do!! It wasn't just a clean sweep. Some of the flagstone was smooth but some pieces were irregular like fossil pieces. As I was using the power washer and seeing the green film disappear with excitement, I remembered a patient's remark when I was using the prophy jet on him. He told me that the baking soda and water blast in his mouth was the way graffiti is removed from buildings in Chicago.(with a larger hose of course)
So I added baking soda to the machine and got down to business. I attacked every crack and crevice with such precision I realized I miss my profession after all!
If anyone needs their stone cleaned contact me at SmileScapesUSA.
Just give me a few days to rest my hands!!!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The Grossest Thing Ever!
As dental professionals we talk about it. Patients actually ask about it.
What is the grossest thing you have found in a patients mouth?
Is it the usual? Popcorn, chewing gum? Maybe it's the Oreo Cookies or the Gummy Bears in the deep occlusal grooves. Or is it mustache hair(or you hope?!) These are usual and customary. What defines gross? The dictionary lists the following definitions.1) fat and coarse looking;burley, 2)flagrant; very bad ,3)dense,thick 4)lacking in refinement; vulgar; coarse. Well these definitions will not help me to describe the" thing" found in a patients mouth. Gross to me is indescribable and this thing was! Plus it makes a catchy blog title.
So what is the grossest thing Ms. SmileScapesUSA contestants have ever found? Let's find out. SmileScapesUSA will survey the contestants and report the results in a future blog.
My finding happened last year in my 32nd year of practicing hygiene: I scaled out of 6mm+ pocket distally on #17 (wisdom tooth lower left)" something." Something I could not identify. It wasn't hard like a bone chip. It wasn't soft like food debris. For lack of a better description it will say it was somewhat spongy.
For some reason I could not bring myself to ask the patient what he had recently eaten. So I placed the unknown thing on gauze and proceeded with the cleaning. Upon completion I walked into the Dr's office to ask him to come do an exam. I proclaimed my 32 years as a superb hygienist and told him I found something in the mouth that stumped me. I had not discussed this with the patient and the "thing" was on the gauze on the bracket table.
I walked into the operatory a little after the Doctor and found him and the patient engaged in conversation about the restaurant he dined in the night before and how fine they prepare octopus.
Mystery solved, ooh, ick, mmmmmmmm, an octopus tentacle!!!
So Ms SmileScapes contestants tell us your gross story. For that matter any hygienists out there email janet@smilescapesusa.com and let your grossiest "thing" be told!
What is the grossest thing you have found in a patients mouth?
Is it the usual? Popcorn, chewing gum? Maybe it's the Oreo Cookies or the Gummy Bears in the deep occlusal grooves. Or is it mustache hair(or you hope?!) These are usual and customary. What defines gross? The dictionary lists the following definitions.1) fat and coarse looking;burley, 2)flagrant; very bad ,3)dense,thick 4)lacking in refinement; vulgar; coarse. Well these definitions will not help me to describe the" thing" found in a patients mouth. Gross to me is indescribable and this thing was! Plus it makes a catchy blog title.
So what is the grossest thing Ms. SmileScapesUSA contestants have ever found? Let's find out. SmileScapesUSA will survey the contestants and report the results in a future blog.
My finding happened last year in my 32nd year of practicing hygiene: I scaled out of 6mm+ pocket distally on #17 (wisdom tooth lower left)" something." Something I could not identify. It wasn't hard like a bone chip. It wasn't soft like food debris. For lack of a better description it will say it was somewhat spongy.
For some reason I could not bring myself to ask the patient what he had recently eaten. So I placed the unknown thing on gauze and proceeded with the cleaning. Upon completion I walked into the Dr's office to ask him to come do an exam. I proclaimed my 32 years as a superb hygienist and told him I found something in the mouth that stumped me. I had not discussed this with the patient and the "thing" was on the gauze on the bracket table.
I walked into the operatory a little after the Doctor and found him and the patient engaged in conversation about the restaurant he dined in the night before and how fine they prepare octopus.
Mystery solved, ooh, ick, mmmmmmmm, an octopus tentacle!!!
So Ms SmileScapes contestants tell us your gross story. For that matter any hygienists out there email janet@smilescapesusa.com and let your grossiest "thing" be told!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Flossing of Teeth and Flipping of Mattress
Do you floss about as often as you flip your mattress? Do you spend more time putting toothpaste on your brush then you take the time to brush? Dentists and Hygienists notice these things. And that's not all.
If your hands bled every time you washed them would you see your Doctor? Probably. But if your gums bled every time you brush would you call your Dentist? Probably not. Most of the population thinks bleeding gums are normal. Unless you are an over zealous brusher, bleeding gums are not normal, even small amounts of bleeding can indicate an level of periodontal disease.
What is periodontal disease? You probably heard the term and blocked it quickly out of you mind, because you couldn't possibly have a disease! Perio means" around" and "dont" is tooth. So the tissue that surrounds the tooth is unhealthy. Gum tissue should be tight against the tooth like a turtleneck sweater!
When dentists or hygienists look at gum tissue,we look for bleeding and inflammation first. Then note if the tissue is glossy or stippled. Stippled is like the skin of an orange. Your tissue should have texture not be shiny and smooth. To determine the disease level an instrument called a probe is used. Think of it as a little ruler. One to three millimeters is healthy tissue. Four without bleeding is healthy while a four with bleeding is unhealthy. Any number higher number puts you in an advanced gum disease and at a risk of losing your teeth.
Dentists and hygienists love patients who are interested in their oral health. So ask questions? Ask what your probe readings are. Brush, floss and use a antimicrobial mouthwash daily.
Just a note if your pockets are five millimeters and above flossing will not help. Just think you don't have to floss. Did you ever try to clean out a bottom of your shirt pocket? What you should do is invest in a water irrigator to flush out the disease causing bacteria. Start on the low setting and move your way up in force. You will be amazed at what comes out! Just think of what can be found in the bottom of that shirt pocket!!
If your hands bled every time you washed them would you see your Doctor? Probably. But if your gums bled every time you brush would you call your Dentist? Probably not. Most of the population thinks bleeding gums are normal. Unless you are an over zealous brusher, bleeding gums are not normal, even small amounts of bleeding can indicate an level of periodontal disease.
What is periodontal disease? You probably heard the term and blocked it quickly out of you mind, because you couldn't possibly have a disease! Perio means" around" and "dont" is tooth. So the tissue that surrounds the tooth is unhealthy. Gum tissue should be tight against the tooth like a turtleneck sweater!
When dentists or hygienists look at gum tissue,we look for bleeding and inflammation first. Then note if the tissue is glossy or stippled. Stippled is like the skin of an orange. Your tissue should have texture not be shiny and smooth. To determine the disease level an instrument called a probe is used. Think of it as a little ruler. One to three millimeters is healthy tissue. Four without bleeding is healthy while a four with bleeding is unhealthy. Any number higher number puts you in an advanced gum disease and at a risk of losing your teeth.
Dentists and hygienists love patients who are interested in their oral health. So ask questions? Ask what your probe readings are. Brush, floss and use a antimicrobial mouthwash daily.
Just a note if your pockets are five millimeters and above flossing will not help. Just think you don't have to floss. Did you ever try to clean out a bottom of your shirt pocket? What you should do is invest in a water irrigator to flush out the disease causing bacteria. Start on the low setting and move your way up in force. You will be amazed at what comes out! Just think of what can be found in the bottom of that shirt pocket!!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Horse Hair and Dental Floss
Unwaxed versus waxed! Polytetrafluoro-ethylene versus dental tape! There are over a dozen recognized options to chose from to make sure the spaces between your teeth are plague and bacteria free as the the outer surfaces you brush. And guess what? That means the average American now chooses a dozen ways to ignore the inbetweens of their teeth. We Americans aren't flossers!!! So why not?
Dental floss has been around since the 1800's. According to About.com, the grooves created by floss have been around in pre-historic human beings, leading historians to believe that people have been flossing for much longer then we know. (U'm...excuse me...but you seem to have a wee bit of mastodon stuck in your teeth.") Even in old west movies, rough and tumble cowboys plucked hair from their horse's tails to use for emergency flossing, And today we can't be bothered to floss even though we have over twelve hygienic ways to do it?!
The first advocate of flossing was a New Orlean's dentist named Dr. Levi Spear Parmly. Dr Parmly told his patients to use silk thread to clean between their teeth and is credited with much of the dental hygiene currently used today. The first "modern" floss was mass produced by Codman and Shurlett Company in 1882. It was made of silk and unwaxed. Then just 16 years later, Johnson and Johnson patented the first brand of dental floss. But is was during World War Two, the DuPont Company took this thing called "nylon" and used it to manufacture many products, including (drum roll please) dental floss. Today, dental floss is still made from nylon.
The oral hygiene section of any drug store is larger than ever a popular on-line drugstore has over twenty types of floss alone. Maybe the reason YOU aren't flossing is you are overwhelmed with choices and don't know where to start? Or you can't find the free sample yor received at your last dental visit, your "lifetime supply." Well, its' time to be brave! Hop in you car and visit the dental floss section of your drug store or favorite discount store. Shock your hygienist at your next appointment with this tale!
Hmmm, for you is it going to be unwaxed, waxed, woven or spongy? Is is flavored, fluoride infused ot Telfon coated? Try ones that meet you personal needs. Maybe it's the small package. Maybe it's the fun flavor. Maybe it's the one already on a handy holder. It doesn't matter. Just choose one. AND USE IT! (My personal favorite is the Teflon coated floss. My favorite gadget is the Reach floss holder. Loved it so much I hid a few in my SmileScapesUSA posters!)
I want to hear from you, so let me know how the flossing action is going. Please follow me on Twitter and share your flossing secrets. We'll all be smiling brighter!
Dental floss has been around since the 1800's. According to About.com, the grooves created by floss have been around in pre-historic human beings, leading historians to believe that people have been flossing for much longer then we know. (U'm...excuse me...but you seem to have a wee bit of mastodon stuck in your teeth.") Even in old west movies, rough and tumble cowboys plucked hair from their horse's tails to use for emergency flossing, And today we can't be bothered to floss even though we have over twelve hygienic ways to do it?!
The first advocate of flossing was a New Orlean's dentist named Dr. Levi Spear Parmly. Dr Parmly told his patients to use silk thread to clean between their teeth and is credited with much of the dental hygiene currently used today. The first "modern" floss was mass produced by Codman and Shurlett Company in 1882. It was made of silk and unwaxed. Then just 16 years later, Johnson and Johnson patented the first brand of dental floss. But is was during World War Two, the DuPont Company took this thing called "nylon" and used it to manufacture many products, including (drum roll please) dental floss. Today, dental floss is still made from nylon.
The oral hygiene section of any drug store is larger than ever a popular on-line drugstore has over twenty types of floss alone. Maybe the reason YOU aren't flossing is you are overwhelmed with choices and don't know where to start? Or you can't find the free sample yor received at your last dental visit, your "lifetime supply." Well, its' time to be brave! Hop in you car and visit the dental floss section of your drug store or favorite discount store. Shock your hygienist at your next appointment with this tale!
Hmmm, for you is it going to be unwaxed, waxed, woven or spongy? Is is flavored, fluoride infused ot Telfon coated? Try ones that meet you personal needs. Maybe it's the small package. Maybe it's the fun flavor. Maybe it's the one already on a handy holder. It doesn't matter. Just choose one. AND USE IT! (My personal favorite is the Teflon coated floss. My favorite gadget is the Reach floss holder. Loved it so much I hid a few in my SmileScapesUSA posters!)
I want to hear from you, so let me know how the flossing action is going. Please follow me on Twitter and share your flossing secrets. We'll all be smiling brighter!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Dentin Hypersensitivity, the Dental Common Cold
Dental hypersensitivity, the "common cold" of dentistry is a problem most dental professionals see every day. As dental professionals we know 1 in every 3 adults suffer from sensitive teeth. The most common is the reaction to hot/cold drinks and foods, sweet and sour drinks and foods and tactile stimulus such as tooth brushing or dental instruments.
How do we help aid our patients to rid them of this daily persistent pain? We recommend a sensitivity toothpaste. Which one? The most common is Sensodyne. Followed by Crest Sensitivity, Colgate and other brands.
The makers of Sensodyne (GlaxoSmithKline) have reformulated and updated their Sensodyne toothpaste. Taking it from "your grandmother's toothpaste" to an "all ages" use toothpaste. New research shows sensitivity by erosion is a leading cause of sensitivity in adults 30 to 40 years of age; I have seen this occurring in patients even younger. Why? The population is drinking coffee, soda, juices, energy drinks and wine. All acidic drinks!! All day long!
After 33 years of practicing dental hygiene I have learned recently that after drinking these acidic drinks that you should not brush your teeth for 30 minutes! Well frankly, some hygienists would be running to brush and clear these acids out before they could do any damage(thanks to histology class). But back then in school we we concentrating on the acid and the plague formulation that equals decay. Now sensitivity and erosion (the gradual wearing away of enamel) is on the rise due to the same acids.
However GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Sensodyne toothpaste believes brushing directly after drinking these acidic beverages cause faster breakdown of the tooth. Pondering this idea a bit, I realized how many patients we refer to a power toothbrush due to their over aggressive brushing habits! So when you drink the acidic beverage and then brush with force, this is like adding fuel to the fire!
We dental professionals need to let our patients know Sensodyne is not their "grandmother's toothpaste" any longer. All ages complain of sensitivity. Also the taste has improved with seven flavors to chose from! Decreased sensitivity can be noticed in 2 weeks, in 4 weeks the results are even better and as it becomes a daily use toothpaste the results last. This product us indeed to be thought of as a therapeutic toothpaste to be used daily for the treatment of dental hypersensitivity.
Look for my future blog discussing the new Sensodyne Pro Enamel and Pro Enamel for children, making the Sensodyne product line truly one for all ages.
How do we help aid our patients to rid them of this daily persistent pain? We recommend a sensitivity toothpaste. Which one? The most common is Sensodyne. Followed by Crest Sensitivity, Colgate and other brands.
The makers of Sensodyne (GlaxoSmithKline) have reformulated and updated their Sensodyne toothpaste. Taking it from "your grandmother's toothpaste" to an "all ages" use toothpaste. New research shows sensitivity by erosion is a leading cause of sensitivity in adults 30 to 40 years of age; I have seen this occurring in patients even younger. Why? The population is drinking coffee, soda, juices, energy drinks and wine. All acidic drinks!! All day long!
After 33 years of practicing dental hygiene I have learned recently that after drinking these acidic drinks that you should not brush your teeth for 30 minutes! Well frankly, some hygienists would be running to brush and clear these acids out before they could do any damage(thanks to histology class). But back then in school we we concentrating on the acid and the plague formulation that equals decay. Now sensitivity and erosion (the gradual wearing away of enamel) is on the rise due to the same acids.
However GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Sensodyne toothpaste believes brushing directly after drinking these acidic beverages cause faster breakdown of the tooth. Pondering this idea a bit, I realized how many patients we refer to a power toothbrush due to their over aggressive brushing habits! So when you drink the acidic beverage and then brush with force, this is like adding fuel to the fire!
We dental professionals need to let our patients know Sensodyne is not their "grandmother's toothpaste" any longer. All ages complain of sensitivity. Also the taste has improved with seven flavors to chose from! Decreased sensitivity can be noticed in 2 weeks, in 4 weeks the results are even better and as it becomes a daily use toothpaste the results last. This product us indeed to be thought of as a therapeutic toothpaste to be used daily for the treatment of dental hypersensitivity.
Look for my future blog discussing the new Sensodyne Pro Enamel and Pro Enamel for children, making the Sensodyne product line truly one for all ages.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Dental Hygiene Then and Now
To all the dental hygienists out there practicing a "long while" please join me in a trip down memory lane. I believe no matter what dental hygiene school you went to this story will be similar to yours!
The year is 1974 and the school is Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Illinois. The seventies in Carbondale. Yes they were very much like the wild stories. EXCEPT........
The dental hygiene program was not on the main SIU campus but located some miles away in Marion, IL. We "girls" and 2 males took a bus to SIU School of Technical Careers. Here our classes were held in old white army barracks. On "campus" with us, were the students of Auto Mechanics and Mortuary Science. Great! Dirty oil streaked hands, talk of calculus walled teeth and heads in boxes of which the mortuary students were able to practice their art!
The ladies of dental hygiene wore all white. Dresses, hose, shoes and caps. Looking something like the nurses from "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest." Remember the caps? We would hit them on the dental lights. We did wear glasses. Our hair if long was severely pinned away or we cut it short. I opted for the cut and never went back. We did not wear gloves, masks and certainly no comfortable PJ's as I like to call the scrubs of today. Also absent was the cavitron and not invented yet the wonderful prophy jet!
Squared off molars were scaled with tired hands. The lower anterior walls of calculus chiseled away. So difficult it was back then. The instructors would check with the air syringe and there the missed calculus would show itself to us in embarrassment. ( A practice I still do, to double check myself with the air. Unknown then, that was the most valuable lesson taught!) It's so much easier now. Finally after two carpal tunnel surgeries I have made friends with the Cavitron and Prophyjet!!
Hygienists, don't we all love to see that calculus "wall" come down!!! What a rush!! However our Doctors have to remind us to STOP! Put the instruments down. This is not a prophy!!
Let's face it, we hygienists are perfectionists. We have to scale down that wall and now! It took me 30 years to put down the universal scaler!!!
Just recently my aunt and I were having a discussion on perfectionism. Did perfectionism make me a great hygienist or did the hygienist make me a perfectionist? (OCD if you will). It is like the chicken and egg concept. She and I agreed I probably will never know. I do know my patients mouths are clean and so is my house, just ask my husband.
So now it is 2009 my scalers are put to rest except on Thursdays. I have time to reflect and be thankful that I still love dentistry and be proud to have had a career that has spanned 33 years!
Congratulations to all the hygienists from then and welcome all of new hygienists of now to celebrate this great opportunity we have been given. The gift of giving healthy mouths.
Celebrate with me and enter the Ms. SmileScapesUSA contest! Tell us about your passion!
The year is 1974 and the school is Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Illinois. The seventies in Carbondale. Yes they were very much like the wild stories. EXCEPT........
The dental hygiene program was not on the main SIU campus but located some miles away in Marion, IL. We "girls" and 2 males took a bus to SIU School of Technical Careers. Here our classes were held in old white army barracks. On "campus" with us, were the students of Auto Mechanics and Mortuary Science. Great! Dirty oil streaked hands, talk of calculus walled teeth and heads in boxes of which the mortuary students were able to practice their art!
The ladies of dental hygiene wore all white. Dresses, hose, shoes and caps. Looking something like the nurses from "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest." Remember the caps? We would hit them on the dental lights. We did wear glasses. Our hair if long was severely pinned away or we cut it short. I opted for the cut and never went back. We did not wear gloves, masks and certainly no comfortable PJ's as I like to call the scrubs of today. Also absent was the cavitron and not invented yet the wonderful prophy jet!
Squared off molars were scaled with tired hands. The lower anterior walls of calculus chiseled away. So difficult it was back then. The instructors would check with the air syringe and there the missed calculus would show itself to us in embarrassment. ( A practice I still do, to double check myself with the air. Unknown then, that was the most valuable lesson taught!) It's so much easier now. Finally after two carpal tunnel surgeries I have made friends with the Cavitron and Prophyjet!!
Hygienists, don't we all love to see that calculus "wall" come down!!! What a rush!! However our Doctors have to remind us to STOP! Put the instruments down. This is not a prophy!!
Let's face it, we hygienists are perfectionists. We have to scale down that wall and now! It took me 30 years to put down the universal scaler!!!
Just recently my aunt and I were having a discussion on perfectionism. Did perfectionism make me a great hygienist or did the hygienist make me a perfectionist? (OCD if you will). It is like the chicken and egg concept. She and I agreed I probably will never know. I do know my patients mouths are clean and so is my house, just ask my husband.
So now it is 2009 my scalers are put to rest except on Thursdays. I have time to reflect and be thankful that I still love dentistry and be proud to have had a career that has spanned 33 years!
Congratulations to all the hygienists from then and welcome all of new hygienists of now to celebrate this great opportunity we have been given. The gift of giving healthy mouths.
Celebrate with me and enter the Ms. SmileScapesUSA contest! Tell us about your passion!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
SmileScapesUSA Media is launching their new inovative website this Friday, July 24!
SmileScapesUSA Media will serve the dental professionals and patients through new media communications that will educate and enpower patients for a more rewarding and relaxing dental experience.
SmileScapesUSA Media will use traditional and digital media. SmileScapes goal is to offer a web experience that entertains and motivates our visitors so they will take an active role in their oral care.
SmileScapesUSA is owned and managed by two dental professionals. Janet Shangle is a liscensed hygienist with over thirty years in private practice. She is passsionate about all aspects of the patient's well-being and oral health. Jennifer Haras is a dental assistant and office manager with over ten years in private practice. Along with Janet she cares for the patient's comfort in the chair and out! She provides a caring attitude for the patient's dental treatment , post op care and with financial and insurance plan information.
So come celebrate with us this Friday and check out SmileScapesUSA.com!!! See what we have to offer DENTISTS, PATIENTS and the DENTAL INDUSTRY.
SmileScapesUSA Media will serve the dental professionals and patients through new media communications that will educate and enpower patients for a more rewarding and relaxing dental experience.
SmileScapesUSA Media will use traditional and digital media. SmileScapes goal is to offer a web experience that entertains and motivates our visitors so they will take an active role in their oral care.
SmileScapesUSA is owned and managed by two dental professionals. Janet Shangle is a liscensed hygienist with over thirty years in private practice. She is passsionate about all aspects of the patient's well-being and oral health. Jennifer Haras is a dental assistant and office manager with over ten years in private practice. Along with Janet she cares for the patient's comfort in the chair and out! She provides a caring attitude for the patient's dental treatment , post op care and with financial and insurance plan information.
So come celebrate with us this Friday and check out SmileScapesUSA.com!!! See what we have to offer DENTISTS, PATIENTS and the DENTAL INDUSTRY.
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